


From Cass's View

by SunSwirls



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-11-26 15:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20932262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunSwirls/pseuds/SunSwirls
Summary: Specifically for distanceseventeen to see the other side of things.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [distanceseventeen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/distanceseventeen/gifts).

So! I'm making this because I want you to eventually see everything behind the scenes-ish, which in this case is solely Cass's view on things because I don't much intend to do from her view. It's almost certain that the chapters aren't going to be posted in chronological order, but hopefully I can get them that way later. And I would've done this on a doc, but that's too easy. You can see everything when I write it, whereas I can hide as much as I want here.

Oh, and you don't get the first chapter until later. When? I dunno. You'll see ;3


	3. An Unexpected Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cass gets to meet Neal

Practice is going decently well, though she's annoyed with herself for not having put her hair up, as it keeps trying to get in her face. Playing the role of Stella and Olympia is a bit harder than she'd expected, but she'll manage. Her current problem song is the Doll Aria, mostly due to the big jumps that are thrown in occasionally. She knows she can get them, though, hence today's practice.

She's in the middle of the chorus when she's nearly thrown for a loop, barely able to keep her composure and keep singing properly - sort of - when she spots a pair of people walk in. It's not so much that they've just walked in, albeit led by someone in security, than it is who they are. One she doesn't particularly recognize, but the other, it's impossible for her not to.

Neal Caffrey, her idol, has just walked in. 

She only gives them a brief smile and the quickest of glances before fixing her gaze back on the spot she chose, going on autopilot in the song as she tries to stay calm. She's read so much about him, learned so much that she can't believe he's actually _here_. He's not particularly popular in the criminal world - apparently something about not being the greatest about bridges, though there are some he does seem to put effort into - but he's probably one of the best thieves she's ever read up on. There's a lot of mysteries around him that still haven't been solved, like the disappearance of an amber music box the Nazis pillaged from a castle in Russia. That one in particular is fascinating to her; it was under so much security, it's a wonder he wasn't caught if he did, indeed, steal it, which all evidence points to a resounding _very_ probable. 

_Focus, Cassidy!_ She misses a note by half a step as she tries to focus again on singing. Right now, she needs to not freak out, and to do that, she needs to focus on what she's doing. Not to mention, there's only a few weeks until they're set to perform. She needs to be ready.

Cynthia calls for her to take a break, and she breaks off the note she's on, turning to the side and trying to _not_ look at the two men. "What's up?" she calls to the manager. 

_FBI, gotta chat,_ the woman responds in choppy sign language. Cass honestly feels touched whenever she sees anyone using the basic signs she's taught a few, which then spread. They don't have to accommodate her like that, but they do. 

She nods back to the manager, moving to the front of the stage to have a seat and some water. Her feet hurt a bit from standing for so long, but it's nothing she's not used to.

She hears Cynthia talking with the men, nearly choking on her water as she hears Neal say "The Phantom of the Opera might try and wreck your place." The sheer irony of the name isn't lost on her. The other man takes over the conversation, and she works on breathing normally again. _God,_ what she wouldn't give to talk to that man.

The conversation continues, and the FBI agent - Peter Burke, apparently - mentions needing someone to watch Neal. "I'll do it!" she calls almost immediately.

The smile that Peter gives her is slightly uncomfortable, and he just says, "I was thinking one of the security personnel." 

Well. She tried.

Logan, the guy who escorted the two in, walks over to Neal, tailing him a bit as the apparently now-former con man strolls over to her. "Hey. How are you?" he asks her.

_Great, if I can keep my calm,_ she thinks. In an attempt to be casual, she shrugs and replies, "Fine."

He pulls out a coin. "Heads or tails?"

"Mm... Heads," she decides.

He flips the coin, catches it, then reveals the side on the back of his hand. It's heads. "Nice."

She knows the trick; the coin is undoubtedly double-sided, but she doesn't comment on it, instead just smiling. "So. Phantom of the Opera, huh?"

"Something like that."

She chuckles. "How'd you come up with that name?" Whoever did it, she'd like to thank for at least making her laugh pretty hard.

"You mean you work in a theatre and you've never seen it?" He's clearly teasing, and it immediately makes her like him more.

"Of course I have. Just wondered who chose that particular name."

"Someone in the department. Wish I could say me, but." He shrugs. "You know about the thief, then?"

She nods at the spot that he and Peter were standing at not long ago. "I heard you guys talking." She gestures to the room. "We _are_ in an opera house. The acoustics have to be good."

"Fair point." He flashes a smile at her.

She smiles back, taking a sip from her water bottle.

"You seem pretty sharp. Play a detective or something?"

"Nah. Just-" _A thief._ "-observant."

"Observant; I like that."

She smiles again. Somewhat out of topics, and really enjoying talking to him, she asks, "I'm guessing you heard me practicing when you came in. What'd you think?"

"Not really a music guy, but pretty good."

Cass nearly calls him out right that moment. Neal Caffrey, not interested in music? _And I'm the Tsarina,_ she thinks. Still, it's nice to be told she's doing well. "Still working out some bugs. A bit trickier singing now, what with these." She works at a hair tie on her wrist as she uses her other hand to shift her hair so he can see her cochlear implant.

He seems a bit surprised. "Oh, you're deaf?"

"Yeah. I wasn't always, but." She shrugs, the tie now in her hand, and puts her hair in a ponytail. Hopefully that'll stop it from getting in her face again.

Cynthia returns just then with Peter, and she gets up. "Guess that's my cue to returning to practice. It was nice to meet you, Neal." She smiles at him.

"You too, Cassidy," he responds, winking at her before walking over to the FBI agent.

She moves back to her spot, watching Cynthia. "Go ahead," the manager calls. "Start from the second verse."

Cassidy nods, listening for her cue.

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy!


End file.
